Education Ministry: Direct TPG Transfer Improves Teacher Quality in Wakatobi

The Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education (Kemendikdasmen) has stated that the direct transfer of the Teacher Professional Allowance (TPG) has succeeded in improving the welfare and teaching quality of educators in Wakatobi Regency, Southeast Sulawesi Province. Secretary of the Directorate General of Teachers, Education Personnel, and Teacher Education, Temu Ismail, said the TPG is a form of government appreciation for the professionalism of teachers, both civil servants and non-civil servants, in carrying out their duties. ‘The Teacher Professional Allowance is a form of government appreciation for the professionalism of teachers in carrying out their duties as educators. We also place great hope in teachers throughout Indonesia, including those in remote areas, to continue dedicating themselves and become the driving force for human resource development through education,’ he said in Jakarta on Wednesday. As of June, the ministry recorded that it had distributed TPG to a total of 2,796 teachers (Rp 33.6 billion) in Southeast Sulawesi Province, with 821 teachers (Rp 9.8 billion) receiving the allowance in Wakatobi Regency. ‘TPG is very important because it helps with daily needs. Additionally, it can be used to support learning, including internet access and teaching media,’ he added. He noted that the direct monthly disbursement of TPG into teachers’ bank accounts provides certainty, allowing teachers to focus more on their duties. ‘Now the distribution is smooth every month, directly into their accounts. Teachers can focus more on teaching because their basic needs are more secure,’ he said. He acknowledged that the improvement in welfare through TPG is not solely economic, as a portion of the funds is also used to support the teaching and learning process, from providing teaching materials and learning media to assisting with students’ needs in the classroom. Therefore, he expressed hope that the improvement in teacher welfare through TPG would be accompanied by the strengthening of teacher competence through various training programmes. ‘My hope is that training for teachers will continue so that our abilities also continue to develop. In that way, the quality of education in areas like Mola Bahari can continue to improve,’ he said. On a separate occasion, Gita Novalista, a Geography teacher at SMA Muhammadiyah 1 Wakatobi, said the TPG is not merely additional income, but a form of appreciation for the dedication of teachers who have persevered in teaching at private schools in coastal areas. ‘The existence of TPG has made us even more motivated. Previously, even without TPG, we were still enthusiastic about teaching, but now we feel more valued, so that enthusiasm has grown even greater,’ she said.